Heart of Ice
by HelplessRomanticDreamer
Summary: Sasuke and Sakura have a new chance at a life together. Unfortunately their new chance together starts off because he needs a wife: for the sole purpose of producing heirs. Can she ever get his love? Or will he be cold towards her until she has a son? Could he learn to love her and live for the second chance at a family he's been given instead of living in the past?
1. Chapter 1: Sasuke's Return

Heart of Ice

Chapter 1: Sasuke's Return

Pairing: Sasu/Saku

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, nor the characters, no matter how much I want to!

* * *

Summary: Sasuke and Sakura have a new chance at a life together. Unfortunately their new chance together starts off because he needs a wife: for the sole purpose of producing heirs. Can she ever get his love? Or will he be cold towards her until she has a son?

* * *

 **SECOND DISCLAIMER** **: This fic was written WAAAAY back in May of 2007 when I was only 16, and the series didn't end until 2015 (8 years AFTER I started writing it). Naruto wasn't completed, and these were pairings that I had wanted to see. No one had died yet, either. As I'm working on rewriting and editing it, I want to keep the general story the same. Please keep these things in mind as you read this story. If you're curious as to the old original story, check it out under my old name: NightBeast (** **s/3521892/1/Heart-Of-Ice )** **. I am open to suggestions and criticism. Enjoy!**

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha was the object of every girls fantasy- tall, muscular, and completely drop-dead sexy. All the girls loved to watch him just walk by because he carried himself with such control and he had this…power…always coming from him. Wherever he went, at least half of the girls were there, and that included Sakura. Most of the time they had to keep the drool in their mouth whenever he so much as looked at them.

Sakura, ever since she remembered, had had a crush on Sasuke. She had gotten teased by the kids in her class, gotten into a fight with her best friend, and eventually even the man himself had scorned her. Now, at age 20, it was no different. He had just gotten back, and he still had the power to rob her of breath.

She watched him walk down the street, not even knowing she was standing there watching him, wishing on some star in the sky, that one day, one day very soon, he'd be hers. Hers and only hers. _Please..._

* * *

 _Why am I here?_ Sasuke wondered as he walked through the streets. He was free of the need to kill Itachi, had broken free of Orochimaru, and was now under the pressure of restoring his clan. _In order to do that, I need to find a wife and have her bear me lots of children._ He thought back over the time he had known a lot of the people around here, and tried to recall some of the classmate's he'd had - Hinata, Ino, Temari, TenTen. He kept on walking through the streets. He spotted a very pretty girl with waist-length pink hair. _Sakura? No, it couldn't be. She must be married and working as a nurse somewhere._ He kept on walking, not even bothering to say hi or anything at all to see who she was. He had a mission after all. He went over to the apartment he remembered Naruto staying at, but was surprised when a very large Hinata opened the door. "Is Naruto here still, Hinata?"

"Sasuke? Is that you?" Hinata asked, clearly surprised.

"Yes. Is Naruto around?" he asked, not wanting to waist time.

"Is that Sasuke I hear, Hina?" Naruto called, coming to stand beside Hinata.

"Are you two finally married?" he asked. Hinata blushed and Naruto grinned and said, "Why don't you come in and I'll fill you in on what's happened since you've left." He motioned Sasuke inside. Sasuke followed him inside, shocked to see two little girls inside. They must have been about 2.

Naruto chuckled. "Those are our twins. Two little angels." Naruto and Hinata shared a smile.

"You don't have any boys?" Sasuke asked, clearly appalled.

"Nope. Not yet. Hinata's due any week, though." He invited Sasuke to sit down.

"Doesn't that bother you?" Sasuke wondered.

"Nope. I love my two little girls." Naruto turned to Sasuke. "Shikamaru's the new Hokage. He and Temari got married around three years ago, as well. They have a little girl. Ino married a man from a different village right after you left, and the last I heard was that she has triplets about the same age as our twins, a year and a half. A boy and two girls."

"Wait a minute. Why didn't her and Choji get married?" Sasuke asked, very shocked.

"Because they got into an argument and separated. Choji, too, moved to another village, and he currently has a son. I am pretty sure that the last I heard, Ino's husband died on an assignment, and Choji's wife died along with their baby girl during childbirth a couple months ago. When Choji heard, he said that he wanted to make things right with her because he never stopped loving her. So, him and his son might be traveling sometime soon to be with Ino."

 _Ugh! All this mushy stuff is making me sick!_ "What happened to everyone else?" he asked, trying to keep his voice level.

"Well, TenTen and Lee married each other about 3 years ago, and they have two girls. Last we heard, they had twins on the way." Naruto took a deep breath before he continued. "Unfortunately, Lee died a couple days ago in a fight that involved four drunk men, and he got caught in the middle of it." Naruto stopped, wondering how far he should go.

"Anything else?" Sasuke asked.

"Um…well, Sakura's…um…she's…being chased after by Neji because TenTen and him split up, so since Sakura's the only one who never married, he wants her. In a way he's always liked her."

"What?! Why?" Sasuke asked. "I thought you said that everyone got married!"

"Neji's wife died during childbirth." Hinata said, bringing in drinks from the two of them.

"Interesting." Sasuke said. "Does he have any more kids?"

"No, he doesn't." Hinata replied, getting up to answer the cries of her two daughters.

As she left, Naruto asked, "Sasuke, why did you come back?"

"Because it's time for me to start the Uchiha clan again."

* * *

Sakura was enjoying a nice calm afternoon out in her garden. She loved to be outside, feeling the sun on her face, and working in her vegetable garden. It was relaxing, and she definitely needed some zen after seeing Sasuke back after 3 long years. She'd been wondering what he'd been up to, seeing as how after everything was said and done, he'd just taken off into the unknown, needing to release some of the pent up aggression that had built up after all the years he'd been out for blood. Nothing could have prepared her for the shock of seeing him again. Nothing. She'd wanted to run up to him, give him a big hug, and ask him how he was doing. But she held back.

"Sakura!" Neji called. "Put aside this foolishness. Marry me."

 _Not this again!_ Sakura turned and looked at him. "No." _How many more times do I have to tell him that?_

"Why not?! There's no one else to marry, and you're going to be an old maid before long!" Neji said.

"I don't care if you're the last person on earth! I don't love you, therefore I am not going to marry you!" Sakura said, annoyed that he still hasn't given up yet.

"You still love Uchiha, don't you?"

"So what if I do? Who are you to tell me who I should love? Or should not love?" she challenged.

"I-!" Neji stated, but another voice interrupted.

"I do believe that she doesn't want to marry you." came a deep voice. "So you should probably leave her alone."

 _Sasuke! Did he just here what I said?_ Sakura turned scarlet. _What a great way to welcome him back!_ She turned to look at Sasuke. He seemed to have aged well. The first glimpse she'd gotten of him on the street didn't do hiim justice. He seemed to be way more built than she'd originally seen, and he had this air of control around him. Way more intense than it had been when they were younger.

"Sasuke Uchiha. Never thought I'd see your face here again." Neji said, moving over to where Sakura was standing and put his arm around her waist.

"Neji! Release me this instant! You have no right to claim me!" Sakura said, not wanting to be touched by Neji, especially not in front of Sasule. He released her, giving her a glare as he did.

"Fine! You'd be better off with me, Sakura! He's just going to use you! He'll never love you back, only hurt you more!" Neji said angrily as he began to stomp away. He stopped, turned back to look at her. "I won't give up. Be ready, because I sure won't give up."

"You never had a chance," Sakura muttered under her breath. "Just stop while you're ahead." She watched him leave, mixed emotions swirling through her. She turned to Sasuke, and before she could say anything, he took her hands in his. "Sakura, will you marry me?"

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Thanks guys! Again - if you want to read the original story, check out NightBeast. I can't get into my old account, the password and email aren't working, and the site recovery is saying my email doesn't work.

I hope you enjoyed this, and keep in mind, when I wrote this story, I had NO clue with who was going to die or who was marrying who. Just who I know I wanted to end up together, and how I pictured it ending. I've been reading & watching Naruto since day 1. And as a huge fan, I'm super excited to say that aside from certain deaths, a lot of how it ended was EXACTLY as how I pictured & wanted it to!

Stay tuned! The rest of the chapters will follow quickly seeing as how they are all written, except the ending.

~HelplessRomanticDreamer


	2. Chapter 2: Hasty Wedding

Chapter 2: Hasty Wedding

Heart of Ice

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…

Pairing: Sasu/Saku

* * *

It's been a week since Sasuke proposed to Sakura. She had told him that she wasn't sure if she was ready for such a strong commitment, even though on the inside she knew she wanted to be with him more than anything. _Well, looks like I got my wish. It's not the way that I wanted it to happen, but it'll have to do._

She walked around her room, knowing that she'd say yes to his proposal, and also knowing that he doesn't love her. Perhaps wouldn't ever love her. _It's the price I'll have to pay!_ She got the nerve to go out to where Sasuke was staying. When she got there, she was surprised to see him waiting there, as if he had anticipated her coming to see him.

"Do you have an answer for me?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes." She took a deep breath for courage. "Yes, Sasuke, I will marry you."

"Good. I'll go look for the priest. Be ready for us by one or two this afternoon." Sasuke declared, leaving no room for agreement or disagreement.

"Alright." She turned around and left. _Well, looks like I'm about to get married! And to Sasuke Uchiha, too!_

* * *

Sakura just finished cleaning out her apartment, getting ready for Sasuke and the priest to come over so that they could go over the wedding preparations. _I can't believe this is happening!_ She heard a knock on the door, and went to go answer it, already knowing that it was Sasuke. "Hello," she said, inviting the two men in.

"Hello." the priest said, and Sasuke just nodded his head.

"Let's get this ceremony over with." Sasuke said gruffly.

 _Ceremony? What's he talking about?_ Sakura wondered. _Are we...are we getting married today?!_

The priest motioned for them to stand together, and he immediately started the ceremony. When he asked her if she would take Sasuke as her lawful wedded husband, she just said, "Yes." She was very shocked that this was moving so quickly. _We're getting married_ _now!_ Sasuke agreed to take her as his lawful wedded wife, and then the priest said that he could kiss his bride. She jumped when his cold lips touched hers for a brief second. The priest announced them as husband and wife, then she was startled once again as she heard clapping and cheering from outside. She turned to see half of the village standing there observing the whole thing. There were a lot of "It's about time!" and "Finally!" and "You finally got the nerve, eh, Sasuke?" Then they all left when the priest left, giving the newlyweds their time alone together.

Sasuke came to her and said, "Are you ready to perform your wifely duties?"

She only looked at him. "Sure…?" _What is he talking about?_

He looked at her. "Are you going to take them off, or will I?"

"I will." She watched as he took his clothes off, and realized she hadn't gotten anywhere. She quickly took all of her clothes off, and admired his body. _I wonder what this will be like?_ She didn't have long to wait…

* * *

Sakura lay there, barely containing her tears as her husband got up. He dressed, cast her a look, then left. _What just happened? Who was that?_ She wondered. _It was so…cold._ She remembered the feel of his hands on her body, so rough and she remembered the way he had kissed her. It had felt so…empty. Void of emotion. _What kind of man did I marry?_

* * *

Sasuke felt like the biggest ass ever. Not only had he strong-armed her into marrying him within hours of telling him that she accepted his proposal, he'd basically forced himself on her. _I can't get attached. I can't loose focus. For too many years I've been dreaming of this moment. Loving people only causes pain and suffering._ He recalled the look of confusion, curiosity, desire, then hurt flashing across her face as the moments of this afternoon had happened. _I could have at least been gentle. Tried to show her a good time...from what I've heard about sex, it didn't have to be completely cold between the couple, even if there weren't any feelings involved._ He recalled the one quick glimpse of her naked body that he'd seen - it was perfection. Complete perfection. _Maybe, just maybe, I can be gentle and enjoy sex with her and still remain detached._ He contemplated it, and decided that it might be worth a try.

* * *

Sakura soon realized that the only reason that Sasuke slept with her was to have her provide him with an heir so that he could be that much closer to restoring his clan. He told her one day that they were going to move somewhere else. Somewhere where the area would be great to set up his "empire" for him and his clan. "I want my sons to have the very best." he had said. She had wondered about how he'd feel having a daughter, but was afraid of his reaction.

After the first week of being married, she rarely saw Sasuke because he was always off training or something. The only time she'd see him was at the end of the day when he'd come to her bed, and he would make love to her. She knew that he didn't love her, but after that first night, he had become more...lover-like and gentle with her.

As time went by, each encounter that they had got a little longer until it got to the point where he would start dozing, realize he was still with her, then hastily get up and leave. She wouldn't stop hoping, though. _I want him to love me! More than anything, I want him to love me!_

The first month went by, and Sakura started to lose all of her hopes and dreams. She remembered how she always dreamed that her and Sasuke would get married and be happily in love, and their first week of being married would be filled with laughter, joy, and passion. Love, too. But, of course, it didn't happen. The passion was there, but even that was debatable. For every day he seemed to forget himself with her, he traded an equally professional and business-like evening with her. She recalled how she wanted to celebrate their one-month anniversary. _That's definitely not going to happen!_ Sasuke had said that he was going to be gone today, tomorrow, and the next day. _I'm going to be all alone. Oh well. I'm used to it._

* * *

Another month went by. They'd finally moved into this beautiful house on a large piece of land. It would be plenty big for any and all children they had, as well as any play dates the children wanted to have here. Not to mention, they'd had a training arena built so that they could keep training. Sakura, however, wasn't doing much training because she got sick. She was so sick to the point that she was throwing up every morning, any time she smelled food she didn't like or couldn't stand, and every night. After about two weeks of being sick, she decided to go to the doctor's. He confirmed her suspicions. She was pregnant! She went home, and she told Sasuke.

"Good." He told her that he was needed to go on a mission, and not to expect him back anytime soon. Then he left.

 _He didn't even say take care!_ Sakura thought as she felt tears sting her eyes. _When will you start to care about me, Sasuke?_

* * *

Sasuke left without a word because he didn't know what he was going to do. _A baby! We did it!_ He was thrilled. Scared. Happy. Terrified. But at the bottom of all of his concern was this simple thought - _How am I going to be a father?!_ He was failing at this whole husband thing. Being a lover? Oh it was simple. Easy. He had such an attractive bed partner - _wife_ \- that it was no wonder he could have sex with her over and over again.

He paced back and forth in the clearing just outside of their new house, debating on going back or heading out early for his mission. _Well, I already left, she probably already thinks I'm a jerk, and at this point you should just let those feelings be._ He started a quick pace to go to visit Naruto before he'd left on his mission.

"Sasuke? Is everything ok?" Naruto asked him, motioning him inside.

"Yes, everything's great. Sakura's pregnant."

At his tone, Naruto proceeded carefully. "Oh? That's good news! And you're still going on the mission?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yes. I need to make sure that everything is safe." He paused, not sure of how to ask, so he blurted, "Can you look after her? You and Hinata? But don't say I asked you to!" He got a little flushed.

That piqued Naruto's curiosity even more. "Um. Sure! Yeah. Hina and Sakura have been close friends for the past couple years. I'm sure Temari will be around, as well."

Sasuke seemed to accept that answer. He turned and left, leaving a puzzled Naruto staring after him. "Huh. I wonder how long it'll take him to realize..."

"What are you mumbling about?" Hinata came up to him, hugging him from behind, and laid her head against his back.

"Oh nothing much." He turned in her arms, bringing his up to hold her against him, and kissed her. "I love you."

She looked surprised at this sudden declaration, but that look quickly changed. "I love you too...in fact, the doctor just told me today that I can express that love to you again..." she said with a saucy grin, and Naruto quickly forgot about Sasuke and Sakura, they're coming baby, the baby boy that was just given to him, and practically threw his small, petite wife over his shoulder and took her into their bedroom, quickly silencing her laughter...

* * *

The weeks and months went by, and she spent a lot of her time with Hinata and the children, welcoming to their family a new baby boy a few months ago. _He's so cute! Maybe I'll have a baby boy, and he'll look just like Sasuke._

She also spent some time with Temari. She'd become really good friends with her, but being the wife of the Hokage, and having a family, didn't leave too much time for socializing. Especially after Sakura's wedding to Sasuke. On this particular visit, Temari shared with Sakura the origins of her marriage to Shikamaru. She told Sakura that they didn't love each other until after their daughter was born.

"But why did you two sleep together if you didn't love each other?" Sakura wanted to know.

"Because we both knew that it was important to make it look like it would be a profitable match for both villages." Temari had replied.

"Was it…weird between you guys?"

"Surprisingly, no, it wasn't. But let me tell you, it got a little awkward because in bed we could respond better than in every day activities. After we fell in love, everything changed." Temari said, a sparkle in her eyes. "He even used his shadow possession jutsu to hold me still and make me hear his declaration of love."

"Really?" Sakura asked, knowing Sasuke would never do anything that romantic.

"Yep. And want to know something else? I'm pregnant again!" Temari exclaimed excitedly.

"Really?! That's so cool! Maybe our children can grow up together as friends!" Sakura said. "Hinata's son will only be a couple months older, too."

"That would be really nice." Temari said and they went on talking, and Sakura got tired and went home as fast as her nine-month pregnant stomach would allow. She got home and went directly to bed. She was in the middle of her nap when she felt pains across her abdomen. They didn't last for long, but they were really painful. _It's time for my baby to come, and I'm all alone! I don't even know the first thing about babies!_ She screamed as another pain came shooting across her abdomen. _What am I going to do?_

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED...

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Hopefully you liked this chapter ^_^

HelplessRomanticDreamer


	3. Chapter 3: Noroi

Heart of Ice

Chapter 3: Noroi

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Pairing: Sasu/Saku

* * *

Sakura was in the middle of another pair when the door burst open. "Sakura! Are you okay?" Naruto asked. "I heard screaming coming from inside your house, and I ran over here."

"D-does it…look…like it?" Sakura panted, feeling another pain coming.

"Where's Sasuke?" Naruto asked, starting to panic. _Shit! He hasn't come back yet!_

"Gone." She replied, trying to focus on the conversation.

"Are you in labor?" Naruto asked, in full panic now.

"No! I'm…just…gasping…and panting…for breath! Yes!" she said as she screamed again.

"I'll be right back." Naruto said, and he left. He brought back Hinata and Temari.

"Okay. Let's get this baby born! Naruto, go outside and wait with our son." She handed their son to him, and he quickly left. "Sakura needs to get changed so she can be comfortable as she gives birth to this baby!"

Hinata and Temari made preparations for Sakura to have a safe delivery- as free of pain and discomfort as possible.

"Sakura, I need you to spread your legs and to start pushing. That's it. Deep breaths, then let it out. Keep on pushing. You're doing great." Temari instructed and encouraged her.

"I…can't…do this!" Sakura yelled, pushing will all her might, but the pain soon became unbearable.

"Yes, you can! We've already done this two times, and look at us! We're alive and strong." Temari said, stroking her hair behind her ear and wiping her brow with a cool cloth.

"Keep pushing! I'd say two or three more because I can see the head! Keep pushing!" Hinata said.

Sakura took a deep breath, then pushed with all her might. She bore down as much as she could, willing the baby to come out. After a couple more pushes, the baby was out. "It's a girl!" Hinata exclaimed. "She looks just like her father, but has her mother's temper already!" Hinata declared as the baby girl wailed, as if demanding food and attention.

"What are you going to name her?" Temari wondered.

Sakura thought for a moment. "I think…Noroi Uchiha."

"That's beautiful!" Temari exclaimed. "Little Noroi."

Sakura was about to reply, but the door suddenly burst open. "Is it a boy?" Sasuke asked.

"No, it's not. It's a beautiful baby girl." Hinata exclaimed.

"What?! No, it can't be a girl!" he exclaimed. He pointed a finger at Sakura. "You did this on purpose! You knew I wanted a son, but you had a girl instead. How could you?!" He stormed out, slamming the door behind him, causing Sakura and little Noroi to cry.

"Shh…it's okay. He'll change someday." Temari said, stroking her head.

"No he won't! Not until he has a son!" Sakura sobbed.

"Just think. It will give you more time together." Hinata said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Hinata!" Sakura exclaimed.

"What? When you have three kids, you kind of get used to being intimate with your husband." Hinata replied.

"At least your husband wantsto be intimate with you." Sakura mumbled. _Secretly, that's what I'm afraid of._

* * *

Sasuke stormed out of the house, barely controlling his anger.

"Sasuke! Wait!" Naruto shouted after him, out of breath once he reached him.

"No. I need a son. I can't have daughters." He was acting like a cornered animal, about to be devoured by something ferocious.

Naruto turned and looked at him, some of it suddenly dawning on him. "Sasuke, even if you had a son, or sons, it would still be years before they're of an age to help protect the house and the familiy." _Sakura._ That word went unspoken by both of them.

Sasuke thought of all the pain and hurt Sakura loving him had brought her, and tried his hardest to focus on a better future. "I will protect what is mine."

"Sasuke, don't you think that you should try being there for her? With her? And your baby girl?" Naruto asked, coming up to stand next to Sasuke.

"No. I need a son, and I need to make sure that there's no threat to my own." He looked towards the house with a new determination. "There will be boys. And there will be boys soon."

Naruto watched his friend, fear slowly creeping into his expression. He knew Sasuke was driven, but he was afraid of what it was going to do to his friend, to Sakura, but most of all to their little girl.

* * *

As soon as she was able to have sex again, Sasuke came to her bed. "This time, you will have a son." he ordered her.

"Sasuke, I didn't have a girl on purpose! I wanted to have a boy, too, but I love our little girl. Why can't you?" Sakura demanded, trying to not break apart inside. She was afraid that the tender connection that they had developed for the little time he had been home was gone - the only thing she had looked forward to was about to go away. Perhaps even forever. _That time seems like a lifetime ago..._

"Because I want sons, not daughters." Sasuke removed his shirt, and ordered, "Remove your clothes." When she hesitated, he said, "Or I'll do it by force."

 _Why is he doing this? What happened to the past couple months when I thought he'd been developing just the slightest bit of emotion and feeling towards me?_ She removed her dress, then her shorts. He came to her, and told her to lie down. He bent over her, totally naked, his hands braced above her head. She looked up into his eyes, noticing that they had taken on a colder shade. She didn't even flinch as he slid into her, thrusting in and out. She closed her eyes, trying to hold back her pain. She could feel his hands, ice cold, moving over her body and cupping her breasts. His kisses were cold and emotionless, and not very warm. She felt her stomach knot, knowing her climax was coming, but her only response was to groan slightly, making no move to touch him whatsoever. When he had climaxed, he rolled off of her, and got dressed. As he was leaving, he said, "Maybe after this, you'll get pregnant, and this time it will be a boy."

Sakura turned on her side, and curled into a ball, crying into her pillow as sobs wracked her body. She didn't have time to cry for long because Noroi was crying. It was her lunch time. She got up and went to feed her. _At least someone needs me for love and nourishment!_

* * *

 _Don't look back. Don't stop. You've already ruined any chance of being a decent husband in her eyes._ He ran to the training grounds, mentally fighting with himself. _I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have forced her like that._ He finally got to the training area, and instantly went into a routine with his punching bag, throwing hard punches and swift kicks.

"What did you do now?" Naruto asked, suddenly appearing beside him, Shikamaru joining him.

Sasuke ignored them both, not wanting to talk about anything, and afraid that he'd do more than just talk to his two friends.

"Sasuke, we're worried about you...this isn't healthy. For you, Sakura, or your daughter." Shikamaru said, then hesitantly asked, "What did you guys end up naming her?"

"I. Don't. Know." He said between punches and kicks. "And. I. Don't. Care. Either." _You know that's a lie. You care. You care too much. What is something happened to them..._

"Sasuke, you can lie to yourself, but we both know you care. The face you made when she had help up the baby after you'd asked if it were a boy. You were excited, pleased, and afraid. Then you just got pissed and acted like a royal douche." Naruto said, not even caring if he was being rude or not.

"I think you need to mind your own business, Naruto. You, too, Shikamaru." Sasuke said. "I'm doing what is necessary for my clan." _And my family._

Naruto and Shikamaru shared a look. "If you need a friend, or someone to just be there, you know where to find us."

Sasuke didn't say anything, just went on with his training, moving away from the punching bag to an obstacle course. After the two of them left, he stopped training, and just fell to the ground. He wanted to scream, to break something, just anything other than remain calm. _What have I done?_

* * *

"You know this isn't going to go well for them, right?" Shikamaru said as they walked back home.

Naruto sighed. "I know. I don't know what to do about it though." He kept walking, thinking. "There's not much we can do, except be there for him. He's been driven by anger and revenge for so long, I don't think being free of that is easy for him to accept."

Shikamaru contemplated that. "I understand he's driven to protect what is his." He thought to Temari and their baby girl, and the baby that she's carrying who's about to be born. "I guess we will just have to wait and see."

Both men walked on, to their homes and their families, not sure what the future held, distant or near.

* * *

Sakura didn't know what to expect the next few nights. He came to her bed each night, but it wasn't a repeat of that first night after Noroi was born. It wasn't like the months of passion that they'd found, but at least it wasn't like that first night. _That was such a horrible experience._ She spent most of her time with Noroi, who was the very image of her father. The very one that wouldn't even look at her. He had asked Sakura to keep Noroi out of his sight because he didn't want to be reminded of the fact that he had a daughter instead of a son.

Two months after he had come to her since the baby was born, he announced he was leaving on a new mission. He packed a bag, grabbed some things to eat, and left. Didn't even bother to say goodbye.

"Good. He can stay gone for as long as he wants." Sakura said to Noroi. "I wouldn't even care if he never came back." _Liar. You know you'd be devastated. Just because he doesn't love you doesn't stop you from loving him! You'd rather be with him regardless of the fact that he doesn't love you than loving him from afar._ "Oh, Noroi! Why do I love your daddy so much?" Noroi just smiled and chortled in her baby way.

At the end of the week, she had every single house chore she could come up with done, and was about ready to go insane. She decided to make new clothes for Noroi because she was almost three months old, and she was growing so fast. _Before I know it, she'll be in kindergarden!_

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

Hope you liked this chapter!

HelplessRomanticDreamer


	4. Chapter 4: A Time of Healing

Heart of Ice

Chapter 4: Time of Healing

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Pairing: Sasu/Saku

* * *

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter! ^_^

~HRD

* * *

Sasuke was out on the trail thinking about his conversation with Shikamaru before he left. "Sasuke. Look. I understand - kind of - what you're going through. I understand that you wanted a son, not a daughter, but unfortunately you have a daughter. You can't just keep being hot and cold with Sakura, she deserves so much better from you. I'm telling you this as your friend, and also as Sakura's friend, you can't keep avoiding your wife. She is going to need all the help she can get taking care of a new baby, and running off on a long assignment is not the best choice." Sasuke had started to speak, but Shikamaru held up his hand. "Sasuke, save the excuses. Learn to live in the moment, and embrace what you've been given in life. You've been given a second chance at a family. They'll never replace your parents or Itachi, but they're your family. Don't let them get away from you."

He was resting by a river, enjoying the sun shining and the peace and calm surrounding him. _I can't argue with what he's saying. I know she's given me the greatest blessing in the world._ He closed his eyes, but the image running through his head were the skattered bodies of first his clan, then his village. The bodies of other fallen ninja throughout the wars, and ones from his own hand. _I need to provide a better life for my family._ He opened his eyes at that word. _Family. I guess we kind of are, aren't we?_

He should have stayed home with Sakura and the baby. _I'm so ashamed that I don't even know what she named her. Noroi? Is that what I heard her calling the baby?_ He pictured Sakura, having just given birth to their daughter, the radiant smile on her face as she gazed upon the baby. The warmth that spread through him at that picture - wife and daughter. Both alive and healthy. Then the terror that turned to rage at seeing a girl instead of a boy. _I really screwed that whole thing up..._

* * *

After three months of enjoying the baby all to herself and settling into motherhood, Sakura decided it was way past time to visit her friends. They got together occasionally, but it was always with all of the children. Not this time, tho! They decided to get together over at Sakura's house, leaving the kids in Shikamaru and Naruto's care.

"This is so nice to get out and stretch!" Hinata exclaimed, excited to get out with the girls and have some much over due "me' time.

"I agree!" Temari exclaimed, rubbing her growing bump. "Being 8 months pregnant isn't horrible, and I don't mind being home with my feet up preparing for the baby to be born, but being cooped up all day sucks!"

"I'm going to go insane by myself, and I appreciate your husbands offering to look at the kids while we had some girl time to ourselves!" Sakura said, rising to make tea.

"No problem. Noroi is such a good baby, and she looks exactly like Sasuke!" Temari paused. "Has he even cared to once hold her or to even look at her?"

"Nope. Refuses to even mention her name or have me say it whenever I start to talk about her. He usually glares at me and stalks away. Well, whenever he's home, that is." Sakura said, bringing in some cups.

"Really? I'm sorry, Sakura." Hinata said, wishing things were different for her friend.

"Whenever he's around, it's long enough for him to sleep with me, and when he's done, he leaves. He always says, 'Hopefully you'll have a boy.' then he leaves! I don't know how much more I can take from than man!" Sakura said, tears coming to her eyes. "We had started to develop a close relationship before I was pregnant. He'd actually sleep with me after we'd have sex." Sakura pause, remembering those good days.

They kept talking, but suddenly Shikamaru came in. "Sakura! Sasuke's hurt!"

"What?! Please take me to him." Sakura said, and on the inside, her heart almost stopped. She followed Shikamaru to a clinic where Sasuke was lying, blood oozing out of his stomach and left leg. "Sasuke!" she cried, running to him.

"Sak-Sakura?" he barely whispered.

"Shh…you need to rest. Yes, it's me." Sakura put her hands on his chest, and closed her eyes. She focused on healing him, and when she felt satisfied, she moved down to his leg. She healed his leg, too, and got up. When she got up, she felt very dizzy and had to sit down. "I just used too much chakra. That's all." She looked at her friends, and told them to go home. "If you'll take care of Noroi, I'll stay here with Sasuke."

"I'll take her home with us." Temari said, but Hinata disagreed. "You're 8 months pregnant, Mari. Let us take her home. After all, our little one is not that much older than Noroi." Temari agreed, and Hinata and Naruto took her little Noroi home with them so she could focus on Sasuke and taking care of him.

She lay down on the bed next to Sasuke. She was surprised to feel his arms come around her, holding her close to his chest. She sighed. _If only he'd start to do this every night again._ She thought that maybe this might mean that he had a soft spot for her after all, and maybe things were going to change back to how they were. _Maybe even more than before. Maybe, just maybe, he realized that he loves me._

* * *

As Hinata and Naruto were leaving, she looked back one final time to see Sasuke had wrapped his arms around her.

"He loves her, you know." Naruto said, smiling at his wife.

"I thought so, but she doesn't know that." Hinata said, frowning slightly.

"She should. He shows it in his own way." Naruto said, going to take Noroi from her so she could carry their son. He had a way of demanding his mother's attention, especially when he was hungry.

"I'm glad that Sakura is always prepared and had some bottles pre-made. Now you can help with feeding times." Hinata winked at him, noticing he'd gotten pale just thinking about it. When Hinata laughed, Naruto's face softened.

"Thank you." At her puzzled expression, he continued. "Thank you for your love, for the family you've given me. For the opportunity to be the best husband and father I can be." He looked at their son, just a few months old, looking indignant at not being fed yet. "I can't express often enough how thankful I am. Or how much I love you."

They walked home, Hinata blushing furiously, and Naruto grinning like an idiot.

* * *

She woke up before him and checked his temperature and double check the areas she healed, just to be safe. She started to turn away, but noticed that he'd woke up. He tried to sit up, but he became a little dizzy. "You need to rest and eat to regain the rest of your strength. Especially after all that blood that you lost."

"Why did you come? You could have let me die and end all of your troubles."

"I couldn't do that to the father of my unborn child. He deserves to know his daddy." she said, knowing he'd be surprised and happy.

"Are you saying you're pregnant again?" he asked.

"Yes, I am."

"That's good news." he said, then lay back down and closed his eyes, a smile on his lips.

* * *

Sasuke lay there, smiling. He knew she could see it, but he didn't care. Maybe, just maybe, she'd forgive him and they could begin again. He thought about the news that she just gave him. _She's pregnant!_ When she'd said it, she didn't sound angry, just happy that they were expecting again. Despite how horrible he had been to her.

He thought back to his mission, about the wrong turn it'd taken, and how fortunate he was to still be alive and have a second chance. _I'm not going to ruin this third opportunity to have a family._ He thought to Sakura once more, and the unborn baby she carried, and the baby girl that she'd already blessed him with. _This time, things will be different, and I'll start to help Sakura out more, and be there for our baby girl and the new baby on the way._

* * *

A week later, Sasuke had been released from the hospital and Sakura left to go get Noroi. When she arrived at their house, she heard frantic shouts from Shikamaru, and Temari trying to calm him down. _What in the world is going on?_

She knocked on the door, and a very disheveled Shikamaru answered it. "Sakura! Please help me!"

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked, instantly worried.

"Temari's gone into labor and is having my baby!" He pulled her inside the house, then dragged her to their bedroom where Temari was moving around calmly. He left, closing the door behind him.

"Aren't you supposed to be in labor?" Sakura asked.

"I am. The pains aren't as bad until the baby is actually coming. And you really know the difference after you've had a baby!" She stopped as another pain came along. "That one was stronger and more quick than the others. I think it's time." She went over to the bed and laid down. She had her legs spread and screamed as a pain tore across her abdomen. Shikamaru burst through the door, unable to hear his wife screaming and him not being there with her. When he saw her, legs splayed, pain written across her face, he slumped against the wall.

Temari, looking up at her husband's pale face, shouted, "Shikamaru, if you're going to be in here while I'm giving birth to our son, you had best not faint on me! It's your fault that I'm even in this predicament! Get your lazy butt over here and mop my brow or do something useful!"

Shikamaru got up off of the wall, swallowed and walked over to Temari. He grabbed a dish towel, and tenderly wiped her brow. He held her hand and winced as she squeezed the life from it.

Sakura kept on encouraging her to push, much the same as when Temari and Hinata had helped her, and was relieved when a short time later Temari gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Sakura left and as she left she heard Temari whisper, "His name's going to be Tsuyoshi."

"That's a beautiful name." Sakura said. "Well, I'm here to get Noroi, so I will get her and let you two be alone with your new little blessing." She went out to where Noroi was sleeping. _My precious baby! I can't believe that you're 6 months old!_ _If only your daddy would accept you!_ She picked up Noroi, and left the house, thankful for the many blessings this new baby would be.

* * *

When Sakura got back, she was thrilled to know that Sasuke was feeling better.

"I'm going to go change some of my bandages." Sasuke said, not sure of what to do or say.

"Do you need any help?" Sakura asked.

"No, I think I can do it." he said, pausing to look at her, then darting a quick glance at their daughter. Not sure of what to say, he left the room.

Sakura started making dinner, and found that she was out of spices. "Sasuke? I'm going to the store." Feeling like testing her luck, she said, "Noroi is sleeping, can you please just keep an eye on her?"

Silence, then, "I guess."

 _Oh my gosh! Really?!_ "I'll be back in time to make dinner!" _Well, finish dinner._

"Fine."

 _That's all he could say?!_ "Unresponsive bump on a log!" she muttered under her breath as she left the house.

Sakura was in a really good mood, despite his short answers with her. As she was walking, a hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Sakura?" She turned to see Neji there.

"Neji! How are you?" Sakura asked politely when what she really wanted to do was run in the opposite direction.

"You know what? I'm doing really well. I realized how horrible I was to you, and I just wanted to say that I'm really happy that you and Uchiha are married. I honestly hope that it will work out the way that you want it to." He paused, then said, "Congratulations on the baby. I didn't know how you'd take it, but I got you a gift." He baused, then blushed. "Well, Tenten helped me pick it out."

"Neji, you and Tenten?! That's wonderful news!" Sakura said, giving him a quick hug. "Tell her congratulations from me! When are you two gonna get married?!"

"We're thinking about getting married soon. She will always love Lee, and their children will grow up knowing their true father, but I'm excited to have two little girls to spoil, plus the little boy that she just had a few months ago. I wouldn't have minded twins, which she thought she was having, but it didn't work out that way." He smiled and added, "Not to mention whatever other children we'll be fortunate to have."

"Neji, I'm so thrilled for you!" Sakura said, honestly meaning it.

"We'd like for you two to come to the wedding. And the baby, of course." Neji paused, then took her hands in his. "I mean it, I'm honestly happy for you and Sasuke."

Sakura smiled. "Thank you! I think things might be working out a little bit better for us."

With that, they said they're good byes, and both walked onward to their destinations. Sakura was extremely happy for Neji, and glad that he'd found someone to love and have their love in return. _We just weren't meant to be. It never would have worked out. At all. But he and Tenten will get along really well. After all, they were high school sweethearts after all!_

* * *

Sasuke sat in their room, not sure of what to do. Noroi had been crying for a minute now, and he didn't know the first thing about babies. _How do I make her stop?! Maybe, if I leave her alone, she'll stop?_ He paused, starting to walk to the nursery. _Sakura should be back soon, right?_ He decided that his curiosity to look at his daughter was more intense than he thought. Besides, maybe if he picked her up, she'd stop.

He walked down the hall to her room, and cautiously opened the door. He crept slowly to her craddle, and peered over the edge of it. _Huh. Not too bad so far. And it seems like the crying has stopped at least._ He peered over the edge, and his heart stopped. There, laying in that craddle, was the female version of himself, except she had the shape of her mothers face - her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Even her forehead was like Sakura's. He noticed that Noroi was looking up at him, head tilted, eyes curious.

Tears came to his eyes. "Hello Noroi, I'm sorry it's taken so long for you and I to meet. I'm your Daddy."

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED...

~HelplessRomanticDreamer


	5. Chapter 5: Happy Family

Heart of Ice

Chapter 5: A Happy Family

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…

Pairing: Sasu/Saku

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Sakura was getting very tired. _I'm eight months pregnant, and I just want this baby to be born already!_

She walked around, picking up toys that Noroi had strewn about her room. _I really hope this baby's a boy!_ She felt that Sasuke was finally opening up to her and Noroi. She remembered when she'd walked into the house a couple months ago...

 _"Sasuke! I'm home with dinner stuff! I added a few more items to the list, but we should be set for a little bit!" When she didn't hear any response, she turned her attention to the stairs. "Huh. I would have thought that Noroi would have been crying or at least awake." She paused, then ran up the stairs. 'I hope he didn't do anything rash! I know he didn't want a daughter, and didn't want to be around her but...' All thoughts stopped when she turned the room to find Sasuke tenderly holding their daughter and she was laughing up at her father. Sensing her presence, Sasuke looked up at Sakura. "Sasuke?"_

 _"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for ignoring you two and not wanting to be a part of this little girls life." He looked tenderly down at Noroi. "I can't believe I ignored this second chance you've given me for a family."_

 _Sakura was shocked. 'What happened to him? What made him change?' Sakura cautiously went to him, and knelt down beside him and Noroi. "Oh Sasuke. It's ok. All I wanted was to make you happy, but as soon as she was born, I wasn't even upset that she wasn't the boy you wanted." She touched Noroi's cheek affectionately. "I just wanted you to come to love her like I do."_

 _"I think I already do." He looked up at Sakura. "She's so perfect and tiny. A perfect blend of you and I."_ _They both looked at their daughter, who smiled up at them. Noroi reached for Sasuke's face. "Dadda!" She exclaimed happily. Reaching over to Sakura's face, she said, "Momma!" Sakura started crying._

 _"Sakura! What's wrong?!" Sasuke asked, not knowing what to do. He was stunned that Noroi had just said her first words!_

 _"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. This moment is perfect!" She said, smiling through her tears. "These are tears of joy and happiness. Our little girl just said her first words! And I couldn't be more happy that her first word was Dadda!"_

 _"Oh Sakura." He put his arm around her shoulders, hugging his family close to his chest. "Thank you."_

Sakura blushed furiously at the memory. So many things have changed since that day. Sasuke was playing more and more with Noroi, and he started to be more intimate with her. Throughout the day he'd come to the house and ask her if she needed help with anything, or take Noroi out with him to the training grounds. "She needs to start learning somehow! If that's by watching me practice, than that's how it's going to be!" Sasuke was becoming the doting father. And she couldn't be more happier.

* * *

Sasuke went through his training rituals, this time with his weapons since Noroi was at the house with Sakura. He smiled, remembering the first time that Naruto had stumbled upon him training while Noroi sat in her bouncer a safe distance away from any harm.

 _"Sasuke! Whatcha doin?" Naruto asked, coming up to the training grounds, looking questioningly at Noroi. "You're not..." he left the sentence hanging, clearly insinuating that Sasuke had brought Noroi out here to hurt her._

 _"Oh! No!" He paused, wondering how to tell Naruto his revelations. "You see, I think I've finally decided to try to let go of the past and I'm looking to the future." He paused, looking at Noroi, and his face lighting up in a true, genuine smile. "I still want a son, but I'm fine with her being the first born. She's just like her mother - stubborn, beautiful, and knows how to grab onto your heart - giving you no choice but to love her."_

 _Naruto was stunned. "Seriously?!" Naruto went over to hug Sasuke, getting excited, but forgot that Sasuke wasn't one for affection. Within seconds, Sasuke had flipped Naruto onto his back on the ground, pinning him down with his hand._

 _"Um, sorry..." Sasuke seemed like he was in a daze. "Natural reaction." Noroi seemed to have thought it was funny because she was laughing and gurgling in her cute baby way._

 _"She's very much like Sakura - which I'm thankful for. She finds the joy in a lot of things. I'm glad that she only looks like me, and doesn't have my personality." Sasuke went over to her and picked her up. "If it weren't for you and Shikamaru opening my eyes to what I didn't want to think about, who knows where we'd be at this moment in time." He looked at Naruto. "Thank you for helping me and being one of my best friends. You guys definitely saved my marriage and family."_

 _Naruto seemed to be embarrassed. "Let's just settle it over a bowl of ramen, yeah?!"_

 _Sasuke just laughed at that. "Sure."_

Sasuke stopped training for the day, wondering what Sakura was up to. _She is 8 months pregnant, and probably shouldn't be doing much. I should probably go to the house and help her with Noroi._ He cleaned up a little, liking to go home clean, especially since he'd been trying to help out more around the house. He hated being dirty for long, and with Sakura needing to rest frequently, he stepped in with the cleaning and cooking.

He went to the side door, and smiled when he heard Hinata and Temari's voices. _I'm glad she has such great friends to stick by her side._ He stopped at the door when he heard Hinata ask Sakura about their relationship. _Is it wrong to stand here listening?_ He honestly didn't care. He wanted to know what her opinion was, and how she felt about everything. _I'll let them know that I'm here before it gets too out of hand..._

* * *

Sakura was resting at the kitchen table, enjoying the sound of Noroi's baby talk as she was playing with her toys. She heard a knock at the door. "Come in!" she shouted.

"Hey Sakura! How goes the pregnancy?!" Temari asked, setting her son down to play with Noroi. "It's so hard to believe that she's 10 months old! Tsuyoshi is already 4 months old! It seems like yesterday that they were born. They're growing so fast!" Her daughter Mayumi was already at the toy chest. "She's already 3 and a half!"

Hinata set her son on the play mat. "I know what you mean. Eiichi's going to be a year old soon! Time sure does fly!" Her twin girls Kaiya and Yuri sat nicely at the toy box with Mayumi, digging out some toys for themselves. "And they're almost 3! I feel like before I know it, they'll be out chasing boys around. They definitely have their father's energy and outgoing nature!" She laughed at that statement, going to join Temari and Sakura at the table.

"Sakura? Are you okay?" Temari asked, looking at her stomach worriedly.

"Oh! Yeah, I'm great. Just enjoying this time with Noroi. I love when she talks to herself. Well, makes noises at herself. Not to mention, she was playing nicely for a change. I try to treasure these days, when she's playing calmly. They are very few and far between! Especially now that she's started to crawl. At first, it was only from one spot to the next. But lately, she's started to be adventurous and crawls all over the house! I dread the day that she starts to walk!" She rubbed her hand over her rounded belly. "This little guy can't wait to get here. I keep feeling him move around, and he gets extremely active whenever he hears Noroi playing." She smiled affectionately at her baby girl. "I'm also trying to spend these last few weeks having one-on-one time with her. When this little guy gets here, she won't have Mommy and Daddy's undivided attention."

"Speaking of Sasuke, what's going on with you two? He seems to be a lot better with you and Noroi." Temari asked, bringing a tea pot over and some tea cups.

Hinata poured while Sakura moved to get up. "What else would you like me to grab?" Temari asked, motioning for Sakura to sit back down.

"Can you grab a snack for us?" Sakura motioned to the children. "Something we all can enjoy?"

Temari prepared a snack for all of them. "Now, answer my question! We're dying to know!"

"Alright alright. I'll tell you." She took a deep breath, looking at her two friends, and said, "I think that things are looking up. He has definitely been more attentive, both as a husband and a father." She blushed, and Hinata and Temari snickered. "It's so cute. He takes her with him to the training area, and talks to her normally, as if she understands everything that he's saying. He never practices with weapons while she's there, just lifting, running, and the different equipment he has out there. Before I found out I was pregnant again, while he was away, I used the training grounds, and took her out there with me. I can see potential to put up some baby exercise courses and wouldn't be surprised if he did." She laughed at her friends' expressions. "I think my favorite thing tho, is when he comes in during the days and offers to watch her, clean the house, or cook. It's nice to be able to take a break and put my feet up." She paused, not sure if she should go on.

"That's wonderful news Sakura! I'm so happy for you!" Hinata said, putting her hand over Sakura's.

"What aren't you telling us tho, Sakura? What's bothering you?" Temari asked, covering Hinata and Sakura's hands.

"Well, I guess I'm nervous about this pregnancy. I'm scared that I might have another girl, and it'll drive him away from us." She looked at her daughter, then at her friends. "I barely managed to get through the day when he wasn't acknowledging her, but now that I know what it's like for us to be a family, I don't think that I can handle him shutting us out." She rubbed her belly lovingly. "I don't care what gender this baby is, I just want the baby here healthy, not missing any fingers or toes, and ready to be loved by her Mommy, Daddy, and big sister. And her aunts and uncles." She smiled at Temari and Hinata.

"Oh Sakura. Don't let it worry you. I can't imagine that Sasuke would be so cruel as to repeat what happened after Noroi was born." Hinata said, looking at Temari for confirmation.

"He wouldn't. We've seen how he is with you and Noroi now, and even Naruto and Shikamaru have added to our belief that he wouldn't revert back to his old self." Temari said. "You can't let that stress you out. It's not good for you or the baby."

"I know, I just can't help but think about it some times." Sakura said, blinking away tears. "I love being pregnant, but I hate the hormones!" She laughed at herself. "Thank you guys. I'm so glad that you stopped over and kept me company!"

The girls kept talking about the little things going on in their lives, sharing the news of Neji and Tenten's upcoming marriage. "Did you tell Sasuke about it?" Temari asked.

"Ask me about what?" Sasuke said, coming into the kitchen just then. Noroi instantly crawled over to him. "Dadda!" He bent over to pick her up, kissing her on the cheek.

"About Neji and Tenten's wedding." Hinata said, observing his reaction.

"Oh, yeah. She ran into him a few months ago at the market and told me about their wedding. They also gave us a nice gift for Noroi." He said, looking to Sakura, smiling. "I think it's wonderful that he's moved on, and realized that Sakura wasn't the one for him. Tenten will make him way more happier." He stated, matter-of-factly. "I believe, depending on how Sakura is feeling and if the baby isn't here yet, we were planning on going?" At Sakura's nod, he gave Noroi one last kiss on the cheek and her back down on the play mat with the other kids. "Do you need anything, Sakura?"

"No, thank you! I'm good." Sakura answered, smiling at Sasuke warmly. Her friends watched the exchange, happy to see how nice he was being to her. Not that they thought she would lie about it, but it was reassuring to see it for themselves.

"Actually, I think it's time we were going." Hinata looked at her girls. "Start cleaning up. I'm sure your father is looking for us." She bent to pick up her son. "I can't believe how much time has passed. Thank you for having us over! We'll get together again soon." She stood up. "We're having a birthday party for Eiichi next week, to celebrate him turning one. We'd like to have you guys there."

"We'd love to be there!" Sakura said, hugging her friends good bye. "That was a nice visit. I'm honestly really glad that they came by."

"Sakura, you should go rest. See if Noroi will take a nap with you." He smiled at Sakura, moving to clean up the rest of the toys that Noroi took out.

"I'm ok for right now." She got up to rinse the dishes out from the tea. "Thank you for picking those toys up."

Sasuke didn't answer, but next thing she knew, Sasuke had reached around her, turned off the water, taken the dishes from her hands and placed them in the sink, and turned her towards him. He bent down to pick Noroi up, and placed his arm around Sakura's shoulder. "Let's go take a nap." Noroi seemed to love the attention, because she clapped her hands gleefully.

Sakura, having no choice but to follow, secretly admitted to herself that she was super tired. "Alright. It's nap time."

They got to their room, and she was surprised that Sasuke didn't put Noroi in her crib. "Um, Sasuke?"

"She can sleep with us. It should be ok, right?" Sasuke said, gently putting Noroi on the bed, then picking Sakura up and putting her in the bed. She tried to protest, but he shushed her. "Sh. Just let me help you into bed." He tucked her in, and settled their daughter up against her. Within moments, they were both asleep. He climbed into bed with them, putting his arm around both of them. _I swear to you, Sakura, that I'm not going to resent this baby. Even if the baby is a girl, we will keep moving forward. There will be no going back. You, me, Noroi, and this new baby. We WILL be a happy family. I promise you._

* * *

 _To Be Continued..._

AN: I hope that you like it! I made it a little longer since I missed last Friday!

Post AN: I also realized that I didn't give any of their children names! **I know they have children in Boruto, Next Gen. I know that the children they have in this story do not matter because it's not anywhere near the manga/anime. In this story, in my little world I've created, this is how I'd see them. Please take that into consideration with any comments you have. And please, enjoy! :)**

~HRD


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